Pick Your Poison
by viva la reina
Summary: She had the chance to make better decisions. But in the end she picked her own poison. Instead of walking down the aisle with her best friend, she watched another woman take her place. Cody Rhodes x OC
1. Prologue

| Today |

"Because if you really care about me the way you say you do, you wouldn't be walking down that aisle today.."

A heavy weight was lifted off the young woman's shoulders as the words spilled out of her mouth. She breathed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair. Stopping at the scalp. Gripping at the roots as her fingernails dug into her own skin. It had to be said, there was no other way around this. If she didn't say it, no one else would. For months now, the young woman had waited for the perfect time to say how she felt. But it wasn't until that very moment she felt the need to address the situation. She knew she should have said something sooner. But she couldn't find the courage until that very second.

The man she spoke to stopped in the middle of his stride and took a pause. She knew him better than anyone else. And she knew he was wallowing in her words. She saw the way his shoulders moved up and down in discomfort, and the way his head gravitated towards the floor. And she knew she had put him in an uncomfortable situation.

But she refused to see her best friend marry someone that didn't deserve him.

He was the most amazing person she knew. The way he felt emotion was something she had never seen before. He gave a hundred and ten percent in everything he cared about. He didn't bother putting in half the effort, ever. To him, he either put in everything he had, or none at all- and the latter honestly wasn't an option. She loved the way his face lit up when he talked about the new issues of his favorite comic books. She thought it was the strangest thing for someone his age, but she couldn't help but smile when she saw him talk about his geeky past time. She loved the long drives they would go on from city to city, listening to nothing but indie music, singing to the top of their lungs. The two didn't have a care in the world during their drives. She loved his family, too. His family was amazing. They treated her like she was one of them the second she met them. They were all so different from each other, his dad, his brother. Just looking at them, one would never imagine they were all related. But she loved that. She loved the diversity.

But most importantly, she loved the way he looked at her. He didn't look at her like most guys at her job looked at her. He looked at her like she was his best friend. When someone looks at their best friend, like real best friend, there just isn't anyone better. Your best friend is as good as it gets. And that's the way he looked at her. They knew everything about each other. And even though she snores in her sleep, talks with her mouth full, takes shameless "selfies" everywhere they go, and uses the bathroom with the door wide open- he looked at her like she was his best friend in the world.

And she refused to see him marry someone that wasn't her.

He slowly turned around and he noticed the hurt on her face instantaneously.

"Cody, I love you." She whispered. "I always have," she said with a smile, "you're my best friend."

He cleared his throat, "Jae.. Her friends and family are all out there. This wedding is going to happen." He released a deep-gutted sigh, "and there's really nothing you can do that will change my mind. I'm sorry."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I decided to rewrite this because I didn't like the way it was going before.. this should work a little bit better! Thank you for dealing with me :) check out 7AM and The Choices We Make! If anyone is interested in one shots, please PM me. I need to sharpen my writing skills. So PLEASE enjoy my rewrite! Follow, fave and review!**

Cody knew she was perfection. Perfection the second he laid his eyes on her. Perfection the second he placed his lips on hers. But she was his best friend, of course she was perfect. The two became friends very quickly and there was no doubt the two had a connection. His friends teased him about the little crush he had on his best friend all the time. But he didn't mind. Nothing was better than her. Cody respected her decision to be 'just friends' a long time ago, and he didn't mind. She was the best friend he never had. And he was hers. They had such an amazing relationship, he didn't mind leaving it the way it was.

He met her about a year and a half ago. The WWE had a small competition for diva's called 'NXT.' It was typically more so for entertainment, but the people on the show had true potentional. And back when he was still doing his "Dashing" persona, he was a guest on the show. "Dashing" Cody Rhodes was very suave, and very slick. Cody Rhodes could talk a woman out of her clothes within the first thirty seconds of meeting her. Cody Runnels, however, was a different story. Therefore, when the WWE told him to go to an NXT show and hold a kissing contest with the wannabe diva's, Cody Runnels was very scared. It was the WWE's way of getting him out of his shell. He was very shy, contrary to the personas he's played on TV. But Cody couldn't complain. He was given the chance to kiss twelve gorgeous girls in a row. He was living every man's dream.

Every girl threw their own flair into each kiss, just attempting to get noticed. Some where a bit overboard, he had to admit. Some even scared him. But when he got to her.. Oh, it was different. She didn't have to throw her hands all over him and shove her tongue down his throat. She gave him a simple kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss deepened in such a short amount of time. She bit his bottom lip very softly, and it pushed him over the top. His slight moan allowed her enough room to massage his tongue with her own. If thousands of people weren't watching, he'd do things to her he never thought he could do. But just as quick as she pulled him in was as quick as she let him go.

After that night he had become a religious watcher of NXT. Although she didn't take the prize home, the WWE admired the young lady. Not only was she absolutely beautiful, but she could wrestle her little butt off. Once she was voted off the show, the WWE instantly extended her a contract. They would put her into their developmental team, and let her grow her skills. They quickly learned that she had more than enough skill to compete with the other diva's. Cody quietly watched her a few times in the gym. He wanted to see what skills she possessed, and he was inspired by her. He would stop by the developmental training sessions a few times and just watch. He wouldn't say anything, or introduce himself. He would just watch how quick she was in the ring. How easy it was for her to throw her opponent in a powerful submission. It had been a long time since he's seen a woman with skill like that.

Not long after that, she was traveling with them. She was part of the main roster, and everybody seemed to be intrigued by her. In fact, she was moving further in ranks than the girl that initially won NXT. Cody always laughed at that, the irony of it all. Once the young girl became a part of the roster, he made note to introduce himself right away.

The two became very fast friends. The two were always joking with each other. Cody finally found the girl that made him happy. He told all his friends that she might be the one. He didn't know if it was for sure, but he knew there was something different about her. He never imagined himself to feel this strongly about a girl so quickly. She was perfection. He could drown himself in her for an eternity.

Jae felt the exact same way about Cody. She wasn't an idiot. She felt their connection the very second they kissed. And their friendship was an example of that connection. The two could talk about anything and everything. He was one of the only people she felt comfortable around without any make up, she didn't mind waking up with morning breath around him, and she didn't mind skipping a shower or two when he was with her. She was a complete pig around him and she couldn't care less. It was a relief from always maintaining her image. It got so hard always having to be prim and proper all the time, she didn't mind being a nasty mess around him.

The best part was that he never looked at her any differently.

She was still one of the most beautiful people he had ever seen.

But Cody knew he could never be with her.

Jae had way too many guards up.

And Jae would never put anything above her career.

_"Hey, Jae. Can I talk to you about something?" He asked as he spotted her backstage._

_She sighed. She had been anticipating this for months now. The whole locker room had been dropping hints. And she feared this moment in the core of her being. How could she put him down gently? Jae loved Cody with all her heart, but not in the way he wanted her to love him._

_"Look. Cody. I already know where this is going.. Our friends don't really have secret-keeping skills.." She said with a laugh, hoping it would ease any tension._

_His head hung low._

_"Cody, you know I love you. We've been the best of friends for so long now. You probably know me more than anyone else. But you know I just got out of a relationship. And we broke up because he couldn't deal with my job. I've been dreaming of this moment for years now. Since I was a little girl. I'm not going to let a guy come in between me and my dream. Even if that guy is you.. I've worked too hard to get here. It's my turn to do something for myself. I really hope you can understand. Your friendship is so important to me. You know that, Codes.. No one can take your place, and I hope no one will take mine either. Please don't be mad at me.."_

_Cody laughed, even though his insides were hurting. He pulled her into a hug and gave her a quick noogie._

_"That's fine with me Jae. If you just want to be friends, I'll take it."_

_She smiled. She was glad he understood._

_She knew he was going to find the right girl._

And Jae was right. He did find the right girl. And it pained her inside to know it wasn't her. She watched as his bride-to-be flaunted her ring backstage, giggling with everyone around her. She continuously expressed how great it felt to find her 'other half.' Jae badly wanted to rip her ring finger off and make her swallow it. It should be her walking around with a fat smile on her face.

But it wasn't her.

And she knew it was all her fault.


	3. Chapter 2

It had been a few days since Cody attempted to express his feelings for Jae. The two remained very close and there was no strain on their friendship. Jae personally believed it was due to their level of maturity. Cody thought it was because their friendship was able to survive anything. Whatever the case was, the two were still good friends. While Cody broke the disappointing news to his closest friends, Jae kept their conversation to herself. There was no use in humiliating him. All their friends knew about his feelings for her, and if people found out she "friend zoned" him, she knew he'd be the butt of all their jokes. Cody had to tell his friends about it, though. He was really upset and needed a boys night out. He had high hopes of finding another woman to capture his attention the way Jae first did.

Cody was upset. But he always believed in retaliation. If a relationship was supposed to blossom between the two of them, it would happen. Maybe it just wasn't their time. He couldn't just sit around and mope. He'd have to move on with his life. The connection they shared was very rare. It wasn't something that came around too often. He knew it was something special, so he would wait it out until she was ready. She had to love him the way he loved her. He was certain about it. She just needed time.

Jae had a plan. She knew Cody more than anybody else. He was special. She searched everywhere they went. Jae was going to find Cody a girl to love. She would look for the most beautiful girl with a personality to match. Jae didn't like to see Cody hurt. And she knew she hurt him. She had to fix his heart in some sort of way. Jae knew that any girl who had the opportunity to hold Cody's attention would be the most special girl. He would treat her like a queen. He would lend her his coat if she was feeling cold, he would lift her over any rain puddles, he would massage her back after a long day of work, he would cook her the best meals, and he would just simply give her all of his heart.

She just didn't realize she was that girl.

Jae felt the pain in her back as Natalya threw her into a sharpshooter. The ropes were only a few inches away, but it felt like miles. The pain ran up and down her entire back as she gritted her teeth together. The young brunette regretted not stretching her back out more before the match started. She should have remembered that Natalya was her opponent and she had a mean finishing maneuver. 'Rookie mistake,' she thought to herself. Jae was just trying to keep her mind off of the pain. But it was too much for her as Natalya stretched her out even more. The young woman wouldn't submit so Natalya threw herself all the way back, nearly breaking Jae into two. Jae screamed out in pain as she relentlessly slammed her hand against the mat.

_"... And the winner by submission, Natalya!"_

Jae stayed on the ground holding her back with one hand and pounding the mat with her free one. She yelled in frustration at her loss. Natalya walked over and offered her some help up, but Jae slapped the hand from her face. She perfected her heel character very quickly. Natalya put her hands up in defense and walked away. Jae got up and walked over to the side of the apron and yelled at her blonde opponent, "this isn't over yet!" The two were competing to earn the number one competitors position for the diva's title. It was a best two-out-of-three with each woman holding one win over the other.

She headed backstage and met up with Nattie at the gorilla pit, "damn, girl. I think you broke me into two." Jae said with a laugh as she rubbed the tender spot on the middle of her back.

"Sorry. You wouldn't tap out." Nat replied with a smile.

"She's definitely a tough one." A third voice chimed in. A smile appeared on the bottom half of Jae's face when she heard the voice. It was a voice that would always put her in a good mood. His tone was always positive whenever it came to Jae. There was no hint of anger, sorrow, or negativity. Ever. If she was ever having a bad day, she just needed to hear his voice, and she knew everything was going to be okay.

"Hey, Codes! Ready for your match tonight?" Nattie asked.

"I'm actually done. Me and Sandow just finished our promo, so I'm free to do whatever. That was a good match you two had out there. Your back okay, Jae?"

She didn't need to say anything. All she had to do was pout and bat her pretty eyelashes. Cody laughed. That face could make him do anything she wanted him to do. And in this case, he knew exactly what it was. He just shook his head and placed a hand on the middle of her back. "Nattie, we'll have to catch up with you later." She gave Cody a knowing wink and eyebrow raise before leaving the two alone. As she walked away, Cody led Jae to his locker room.

As they got in, Jae removed her wrestling top and covered her chest with one of his white towels. She moved her hair to one side and Cody couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. His palms became clammy and he felt sweat form at his brow. No matter how many times he's done this for her, it's always made him nervous. Here, standing in front of him, was his beautiful best friend. Half naked. She looked over at him and gestured at the ottoman lying against the wall of his locker room. He snapped out of his thoughts and adjusted the ottoman for her to lay face down on. He whipped out some lotion from his luggage and began to do work on her twisted back.

She groaned at his touch. It hurt but felt so good at the same time. The noises that escaped her mouth was sending Cody over the top. He knew he could make her feel good emotionally, but he wanted to show her how good he could make her feel physically. The thought of it, combined with her moaning, was something he could no longer handle. If he could just flip her over and kiss and suck and nibble at her gorgeous tan skin...

_Control yourself, Cody.._ He repeated the mantra in his head over and over again until the thoughts were out of his mind.

After a few minutes of massaging and rubbing she sat up and slipped into one of her best friend's t-shirt.

She groaned and stretched her back out a little, "god, Cody. You seriously have like the most magical set of hands. I feel so much better." Jae knew deep down there was nobody else out there like Cody. But there was no other job out there like the WWE. She couldn't afford to distract herself. And what if her and Cody did decide to begin a relationship? And what if it failed horribly? She would lose her best friend and she knew the break-up would break her focus from her job. She would not let anything get in the way of her and her dreams.

"Anytime, Jae. You sure you feeling better now?" It was a genuine question, but he was hoping she would give him a negative response. It would allow him to run his hands up and down her body for even longer.

She knew what his intentions were with that question, and she knew she had to change the course of their conversation. Jae had to kick her plan into action. "Yeah, Cody. Like I said. Magical set of hands," she laughed. "Hey, since you're not doing anything else for the night.. you wanna go out? Like for a drink? Or shoot, I haven't put my dancing shoes on in a while. We could hit up a club?" Jae was going to find Cody the perfect girl.

Cody smiled. _Is she really asking me out?_ His insides were glowing at her question. Of course he'd love to go out with her. That wasn't even a real question. He'd love to see Jae dressed up to perfection. He always either saw her in her wrestling gear or in sweats and a t-shirt. She was beautiful regardless, but a dress and heels would drive him crazy.

"Sure, why not." He shrug his shoulders nonchalantly.

Jae knew she was going to find his perfect girl.

She had to be out there somewhere.


	4. Chapter 3

Jae knew Cody was going to see this as a date. She knew this the very second the question escaped her lips. As she headed back to the locker room she shared with the rest of the diva's, she found as many of his friends as she could. So far she got John Cena (as long as Nikki came), Bryan Danielson (as long as Brie came, as well), Randy Orton, and Mike Mizanin to join her and Cody tonight. She was not going to go for some drinks with Cody by herself. Jae knew Cody didn't drink too much, so she knew the night would consist of her drunk dancing and singing while he watched. She knew he only said 'yes' so he could spend some more time with her.

She entered the locker room and got ready after a quick shower. As she applied her makeup, a few diva's walked in. Cat whistling and hollering as they watched her apply on her false lashes. Jae shook her head as the Bella twins picked up the dress she was wearing for the evening. They both raised their perfectly shaped brows at the shorter brunette and gave her a quick wink. It was a rich burgundy, velvet dress with a deep and exposed back. The ladies in the locker room knew it would accent all of Jae's curves to perfection. She had the perfect thin waist with wide hips. Her mother always teased her and called them "child bearing hips." Jae embraced her shape, and she knew many others craved to embrace her.

"So, Jae.. John told me we're all going out?" Nikki asked with a sly smile.

She started laughing, "yes! Yes, we are!"

"What's the occasion?" asked an interested Brie.

"Just.. You know.. To all hang out.. You know.. With all our best friends?" Jae tried to convince them.

"Bullshit." Trinity laughed as she put away some of her wrestling gear.

"You do not put on sexy clothes, high heels, false lashes, and curly hair just for nothing, babe." Brie stated.

Jae groaned and released a sigh. "Look, I'm doing this for Cody."

"I knew it!" All the diva's exclaimed.

"Oh my god, it's not like _that_." Jae tried to explain.

"Then why are you getting all sexy for?" Nat asked with a growl.

"Can't a girl just get nice?" She asked. "Okay, here. I'm gonna tell you guys something, but please do not tell anybody! It's something I've been thinking about for a while."

"You're in love with Cody?" Nicole asked matter-of-factly.

"Nicole! No! I'm not!" Jae gasped. "I do _not_ love Cody! I mean, I do! But not like that! He's my best friend, guys. That's it."

"Then what is it?" They all asked anxiously.

"So, I think we all know how Cody feels about me.." They all nodded as if it were the most obvious thing. "Well, a few days ago, he tried to tell me how he felt." The ladies began to lean in more, interested in the dilemma between the two friends. "I stopped him before he could say anything.. I told him that I wanted to be just friends. And I _know_ he's really upset about it. I mean, nothing's changed between us, but I know that's just how Cody is. I don't want to see or know he's feeling upset. Especially if it has anything to do with me. So, I have this plan..." She paused plainly for dramatic effect. "I'm going to find Cody a girlfriend!" She exclaimed with a huge smile on her face as if it were the best idea in the world.

All diva's pursed their lips together and raised a brow at the brunette beauty.

"And you thought this is a good idea, why?" Ariane asked with eyes wide open.

"Because I feel like he needs to find someone else that makes him happy!"

"He did find somebody! You!" Nat said loudly, trying to get her point across.

"No! Not me! Guys, you don't understand! I love Cody, I do! He's one of the most important people in my life. Like, I've never met anybody that's made me feel as good as him. He's the greatest person I know. But I don't love him like that, guys. I feel like there's somebody out there that could make him more happy than the way he makes me. It's possible! I know it.." She began to trail off.

"Jae, don't you think that Cody is old _and_ good looking enough to find a girlfriend on his own?" Trinity asked.

"You don't get it. If Cody has all these feelings for me, he's not going to try and find somebody else. And Cody?" Jae shook in disgust. "He doesn't have the best choice when it comes to dating. You've seen the girls he's gone out with!" She shook her head as the corners of her mouth dragged down into a grimace. "Yeah, that boy has a hard time finding the right ones."

Cody had an interesting dating history. He was such an attractive guy, and he could definitely hook and sink some of the most beautiful women in the world. He didn't gain the "dashing" persona because of his amazing personality. Even Jae couldn't deny how handsome he was. That was her first thought the second she met him. He was without a doubt one of the best looking guys she's ever seen. If they weren't such good friends, she wouldn't mind messing up some bed sheets with him a few times. But he became too good of a friend for her to have sexual relations with.

And Cody was a relationship type of guy. He wasn't the kind of person to try "no strings attached." In fact, Cody always got tied up in his relationships. The second any woman showed any sort of interest, Cody would devour her with his feelings. If he met any woman with potential, he would hear wedding bells in his head. He was a romantic and believed in nothing less than true love. Cody was a modern-day Romeo. All he needed was his Juliet.

"You think maybe he has a hard time finding the right one, because the right one is too busy setting him up on dates with the wrong ones?" Brie asked.

Jae stopped applying her lipstick and let that question sink in. She shook her head and continued with her makeup.

The group of friends all headed over to Randy's SUV once the show ended. Cody couldn't have been in a better mood. He had an easy night, he was surrounded by amazing company, and he had a beautiful Jae holding onto his arm. She looked completely outstanding. The dress she wore hugged her body in all the right places, her hair was curled to perfection, and her make-up accentuated her natural beauty. He knew many of his coworkers wished they were him in that very moment. He even noticed Mike stealing a few glances at the brunette. Cody smirked to himself as he helped Jae into the car. "You look so beautiful tonight." He said whispering into her ear as they got situated into their seats.

The second they entered the club, they ordered shots of Honey Jack all around. They all took their glasses and downed the warm liquid, except for John and Cody. The two didn't drink much, mostly because they were very focused on their personal fitness, but the two still knew how to have a really good time. Cody sat back in a booth with John and Randy as they joked around. Cody was less absorbed in the conversation, because most of his attention was focused in on Jae. He loved watching her have fun. She had the best attitude about everything and people naturally found themselves gravitating towards her. She waved her hands in the air and moved her hips to the music. He knew at that moment nothing was going to stop him from getting to her.

Not even Jae herself.

Jae took a few more shots, not knowing Cody was watching her. He was very cautious especially when it came to her safety. He knew Jae knew her limit but he wanted to be there for her if she took way more than she could handle. He counted every shot she took, and once she reached five, he would try to intervene. He knew she would be fine for now. As Cody watched her, she watched her surroundings. She looked around for a girl that might deserve Cody's affection.

But as the liquid began to settle into her system, the more she looked around, the higher her standards got. Not one female in that club deserved Cody in Jae's opinion. She had to admit, she didn't want any girl to be more attractive than her. The Honey Jack was slowly making her realize that she still craved Cody's attention. As much as she didn't want to be in a relationship with him, she didn't want another girl to be more important than her in his life. The girl she was going to find was not going to be better looking than her, funnier than her, or better for Cody than her.

She just needed to find somebody that would keep him occupied until she was ready.

Jae turned around and almost instantly, she found the right girl. She had a beautiful milk chocolate skin color, gorgeous hair that fell past her shoulders, dark plump lips and amazing light brown eyes. The girl wore a white strapless dress that showed her muscular physique. This girl was gorgeous enough to captivate Cody. She looked to be just his type. As Jae got closer to the girl and her group of friends, the more familiar she appeared.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Jae asked, slurring her words. The familiar face smiled at the drunk woman in front of her and laughed a little.

"Yeah. I'm Brandi Reed. I was part of the developmental team of the WWE. I joined right when you got to the main roster." She said into Jae's ear trying to get over the loud club music.

"Ohhh! Girl, take a shot with me!" Jae smiled gesturing at the bartender. "Cheers to the WWE!"

_... And that's five!_ Cody thought to himself as he excused himself from the guys.

"Coddles! Where have you been?" She slurred as she hugged her best friend.

"I was sitting with John and Randy, you okay hun?"

"Yeah!" Jae smiled, "I- I- hey, you. I want you to meet my best friend! He's seriously like the greatest guy I know. Coddles, this is Brandi. Brandi, this is Cody!"

Cody was holding Jae up with one arm and shaking the hand of another beautiful woman with his free one.

"Very nice to meet you, Brandi."

Jae was too drunk out of her mind to realize the mistake she was making.


	5. Chapter 4

Cody held Jae's entire weight in his arms as he dismissed himself from the woman he was introduced to a few moments ago. Although he had been keeping watch over Jae's drinking, he hadn't realized how many she took in such a short amount of time. In fact, he had been so wrapped up in his conversation with John, Randy, Bryan and Mike, he almost lost complete track of time. A woman her size should not have taken five shots of dark liquor in less than thirty minutes. She tripped over her six inch heels as he guided her towards the booth their friends were sitting at. Jae was the complete reason Cody didn't believe in drinking too much. He hated seeing her get this wasted, but he took advantage of it. He was going to show Jae how amazing he would take care of her if given the chance.

"Is she in 'Jae Mode?'" Brie asked sipping at her cocktail as she and her boyfriend, Bryan, laughed at their good friend's expense.

Cody laughed and nodded his head as he placed Jae into the booth. 'Jae Mode' was a spin off of the very infamous 'Brie Mode.' Bryan was very cautious over his girlfriend's drinking, mainly because he wanted to make sure she was safe and made smart decisions. When Brie got alcohol in her system, she turned to be a different person. Singing and dancing everywhere, completely out of her character. Bryan was not the biggest fan of 'Brie Mode.' However, the second Jae got close to the WWE family, they soon realized that Jae was a lot more to handle than Brie when under the influence of alcohol. Of course, Jae's tolerance for the warm liquid was a lot lower than her gorgeous co-worker.

"Are you gonna be okay taking her to her room later?" Brie, although poking fun at her best friend, was definitely worried about her safety. "Yeah, I think she'll be fine. I'll take care of her." She smiled at the guy sitting across from her. She should have known before asking that Jae would be perfect in Cody's care. That boy was willing to do anything and everything for her to make sure she was okay. He was a good guy and she wished her best friend could see that as much as everyone else could.

Cody signaled for some water from a nearby bartender as he wrapped his strong arm around Jae's shoulder. She rested her head on him as her head pounded. The music blaring through the speakers only enhanced the pain in her head, but she knew she had to stay in good spirits. Afterall, she was the one who invited all her friends out tonight, so she had to make sure they were having fun. She refused to ruin their fun especially since free time was hard to find when working with the WWE.

"Is everyone having an okay time?" She slurred in his ear. Cody smiled. Even in her state of mind, she was still worried about everyone else around her. That was one quality he admired in Jae. No matter what situation she was in, she put others before her. It became her downfall at many points, but she always remained positive, anyways. He just couldn't understand how someone could always look at the brightside.

"Yeah, everyone is having a good time, babe." Brie said, nearing the end of her cocktail. She loved seeing Jae and Cody together. They would easily be her favorite couple, but for some reason that even Brie couldn't understand, Jae just wouldn't allow it to work out. She was as stubborn as they came, but Brie knew she deserved a real man in her life. Jae was too focused on other aspects of her life to open her eyes. Brie constantly used her and Bryan as an example of a successful WWE couple. Even Nikki and John. But Jae couldn't see what was in front of her.

Sitting down in the booth was not helping Jae at all. The alcohol was settling in and it was making her feel a lot worst. She had to get moving or else she would not recover too well. "Cody, can we go and dance?" She asked pouting her perfectly, pink lips while batting her pretty, long eyelashes. It was a look Cody could not say 'no' too, and Brie knew it. She told him to go ahead and to just watch over her very carefully. He promised her that Jae would be in good hands- not that Brie doubted him at all.

The two danced to the music as best as they could. Jae always teased Cody about his two left feet, but he would dance anyways just to see her smile. And Jae's usual graceful movements were overpowered by the sloppiness of the alcohol. This time it was Cody to laugh at his best friend. Even though the alcohol weighed her down, Jae was in such a good mood. She almost forgot about the plan she had in motion. The way he held her hand, the way her kept her up on her two feet, the way he held her hair back when she was doubled over the toilet bowl, the way he sweetly put her into bed, it just didn't get any better than that. The warm liquid was making Jae realize how good Cody was for her.

Cody probably was the one. The one that she's read about, the one she's watched in movies. Cody was just the perfect person. But she couldn't allow herself to fall completely in love with him because of her career. She had worked for years just to get to the position she was at. She refused to let something or someone get in the way of her dreams. Even if it was the man with potential to be her other half. And Jae hated herself for that. She knew Cody was ready for her. She just wasn't ready for him.

This was why the original plan popped into her head in the first place. She just needed a girl to keep him occupied until Jae wanted to settle down.

She refused to have another woman take her place in Cody's life.

"I love you, Cody.." She said mumbling into her pillow.

Cody was placing aspirin and water at her bedside table but almost dropped them out of shock. He's heard her say those words to him before, but tonight there was something else behind it. He was always a firm believer in the old saying 'drunk minds speak sober hearts.' If she meant what she said, then he knew she really loved him the way he loved her. But he wasn't going to take advantage of her drunk state. He wanted to hear her say it loud and proud without the help of alcohol. If she was willing to say that drunk, he knew one day she would say it for real. He smiled. He was going to wait for her with no questions asked.

Before leaving, he kissed her on the forehead and smoothed her hair down and said, "I know, hun.. I know now."

She woke up early that next morning with a pounding headache. She groaned as the sunlight peaked through the curtain, silently cursing Mother Nature for awakening her out of her deep slumber. Jae tried to retrace her memory from last night to make sure nothing bad had happened. She remembered getting to the club, the first few shots, dancing, Cody, a little bit more dancing, Cody, throwing up, more Cody and that was all Jae could gather from her drunken mind.

All Jae could think about was Cody. She couldn't think of any specific reason as to why he was on her mind. Jae knew Cody was taking care of her that whole night, but digging through her mind, they didn't kiss, they didn't do anything further than that, she wasn't naked, nor was he, and she woke up in her own hotel room. She couldn't figure out why Cody was the only thing she could think about. Jae even tried to think about her plan and if she found a girl last night for Cody. But even that, she couldn't remember at all. All she remembered from last night was her best friend.

She rolled over in bed to check her nearly dead phone, due to her negligence last night. She received many text messages from her girlfriends asking her if she was okay, but there was one text message from a certain person that made her smile.

**From: Coddles 7:58 AM**

**Hey drunky. If your hangover isn't too bad I'm gonna go to the gym to get some run throughs in. If you're up for it I'll meet you at the lobby at 9ish. I'll see you.. maybe.**

Jae sighed. She was so mad she couldn't recall anything from last night. She hoped that maybe she wouldn't have been too embarrassing. Cody's seen her at her worst, but she was a different story when she was drunk. Jae pursed her lips together and ran her fingers through her hair just trying to figure out what the hell happened last night. She figured she'd find out eventually if she met up with Cody. Looking at the clock, she realized she'd have enough time to shower and get ready if she got up now. She groaned and washed last night events away from her skin. Putting on yoga pants and a sports bra, she made it to the lobby just in time.

He poked fun at her the whole ride to the gym. Jae took it all in. It didn't seem too bad, and she didn't seem to embarrass herself too much. Maybe she tripped over her own feet a few times and scuffed her expensive pair of high heels, and maybe she drunk danced and sang a few songs out of tune, but that sounded just about accurate to her. She was relieved to not hear anything wild or crazy.

They arrived at the local gym and much to Jae's dismay, most of the good weight and cardio machines were taken. This was one reason why she liked going to the gym super early. Jae liked getting her workouts out of the way, and she was very picky when it came to her diet and training regimen. But she shook it off, knowing her hangover was not going to permit her to go too hard today. She looked at Cody and as if he read her mind, "stretching and jump rope first?"

Jae nodded and laid on the ground. She raised her right leg in the air as Cody pushed down on it furthering her stretch. He blushed a little at his best friend's flexibility. He noticed some of the guys at the gym were staring and Cody smiled on the inside. He knew they wished they were him holding Jae like that. He pushed her leg back even more, having her leg touch all the way back. Just as she was getting the perfect stretch, she noticed Cody letting go. Her brows scrunched together in confusion as she heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Sorry to interrupt," a female appeared. She looked oddly familiar but for some reason, Jae couldn't put her finger on it. She knew she's met her somewhere before, but the effects of last night's alcohol kept her mind fuzzy. "Are you feeling okay?" The woman asked.

"Um... I'm fine? Thank you for asking?" Jae asked with a raised brow. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude but.. Who are you?"

The woman blushed, "I'm sorry. I met you last night at the club! I'm Brandi, I'm part of WWE's developmental team."

And that's when it all came rushing back to her head. This was the girl she hand picked herself to distract Cody. Neither of them knew it, but Jae was going to keep this girl around to keep Cody's attention on until she was ready for him. Jae smiled. Her plan was going to take off just as she wanted it too.

"Ohh! I'm so sorry. I was so drunk last night. But thank you for checking on me. That is very sweet of you!"

"No worries. I ran into Cody last night after he put you to bed and we talked a little. I was just concerned about you. He told me you were a little... obliterated." She giggled a little.

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. Cody took care of me last night."

"Okay, well just checking on you. Making sure you're alright. Nice meeting you again, Jae." She said to the shorter woman before looking at Cody with a smile. "I'll talk to you later, Cody."

Jae's plan was going to work out perfectly.

**A/N: Two more reviews for the next update? I'm loving this story, I just don't know how anybody else feels about it... lol**


	6. Chapter 5

Cody ran his hand down his face as he left his best friend's room. She was just drunk and didn't know what she was saying. As much as Cody wanted to believe the words coming out of her mouth, he couldn't help but think they were nothing more than slurred words. But his doubts didn't stop him from having any hope. Cody was just going to sleep his doubts away and prepare for a new day.

He made his way to the elevator and head to the room he shared with long time friend, Randy Orton. But as the doors opened, they revealed a very friendly face. He smiled and stepped to the side so her and her girlfriends could exit. "Go on without me, I'll be right there." She said, excusing herself from her friends.

"Hey, is your girlfriend alright?" The young woman smiled. Cody took her all in. She had a smooth and sensual voice, the prettiest eyes he had ever seen on a woman, milk chocolate skin, and the plumpest lips. Saving himself from embarrassment, he avoided staring at the way the white strapless dress hugged every single curve on her body, accentuating her wonderful pair of- Cody gulped and kept his eyes on hers.

"Oh- er-uh- huh- She's not my girlfriend. Well, she's a girl that's my friend but definitely not my _girlfriend._" Cody found himself stumbling over his words. He couldn't even blame it on the alcohol because there was none in his system. But this girl was toxically making him feel some type of way. The lighting at the club was so horrible he didn't realize how beautiful this girl was when he first saw her. And not to ignore the fact he was occupied with taking care of his best friend. "But, um, yeah. She's alright. I just left her room. She should be sleeping now."

"Hm.." He noticed a twinkle in her eye at the mention of him and Jae not being an item. "Well, that's good to hear..." Cody raised a brow, _What's good to hear? That she's okay or that me and her are not together?_ Cody thought to himself. "Were you heading to bed? I'd hate to keep you up."

He smiled, "if heading to bed means laying down with my eyes open not doing anything when I could actually be doing something else, then yeah, I guess I'm heading to bed."

"Well, if you could 'actually be doing something else' like grabbing a late night meal with a new friend, would you be down to do it?" She asked with a million dollar smile and Cody found himself having a hard time saying 'no.' He should really consider going to bed early so he could get his day started sooner than later, but why not? He had nothing else to do and all his friends were probably already in bed with their significant others, so he might as well continue having fun.

"I'd actually love to."

They left the hotel together and walked down the nearly empty streets to a close-by diner. They talked all the way there, and all through their meal. In fact, he found himself barely finishing his food because he was so wrapped up in their conversation. He learned about how she made it to the WWE developmental team and where she wanted to take her career. She was so entertaining and with every new topic, he wanted to learn more and more about her. It had been a long time since he connected with a woman like this. Jae was actually the last woman he met that he clicked with right off the bat. But him and Jae were polar opposites. Jae had a short temper, he knew how to keep his cool. Jae loved hip hop, and he loved indie music. Jae loved pigging out on the weekends, Cody hated cheat days. Jae was wild and outgoing, Cody was very to himself. Everyone thought this was why they were so perfect together. Opposites attract. Even though they made a lot of exceptions for each other, they still found a way to butt heads.

_Jae rolled her eyes and placed her feet on the dashboard of the rental car. She had a love/hate feeling when it came to riding with Cody. She loved being in her best friend's presence more than anything, but she couldn't stand the music he listened to. To her it was just a bunch of yelling and screaming she couldn't understand. She looked over at him and saw his eyes staring intently on the road. With her eyes glued on him, she slowly reached towards the radio to change the station. As she inched closer and closer, Cody slapped her hand away with the fastest, swiftest movement she's ever seen._

_"Cody, seriously? Please, for like five minutes!"_

_He looked at her and groaned, and gave her free control of the radio for five minutes. He stared at the clock on the dashboard. _3:04_. "You have five minutes, Jae."_

_She quickly changed the station and found a hip hop one on her first try. She nodded her head and started singing and dancing in the passenger seat. Cody shook his head as he watched his best friend. She continued to rap along with the radio and when Cody finally registered what the words were really saying he shut the radio off._

_"God, Jae. How could you listen to that?"_

_"It's fun music!"_

_"It's just men degrading women! Telling her to bend over and dance for some 'bands'? Jae that's so disrespectful. I'll be damned if I ever hear some guy say that to you. I know guys think it when they look at you, but to say it and make a song about it. Shit. Have some respect."_

_"I do have respect for myself."_

_"I didn't say that. I meant for other men to respect women. You're not just a piece of meat.."_

_The two sat in silence for a moment. Jae crossed her arms over her chest and rested her head on the window. If she was going to sit in silence, she was just going to go to sleep. When Cody saw she was resting, he took this as an opportunity to turn the radio back to something he would actually listen to. The station he had it on previously was on commercial so he silently searched for some good music. He stopped when an old soft rock tune caught his attention. It was also just beginning, so that was a good thing. He smiled as it reminded him of his younger days. Jae sat up when she heard the song play through the speakers. The two looked at each other and smiled as they realized they could agree on something._

_"I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing. Watch you smile while you are sleeping. While you're far away and dreaming! I could spend my life, in this sweet surrender. I could stay lost in this moment, forever. Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure...!" The two sang off-tune together at the top of their lungs._

_Although it took them a while to agree on something, when they finally did, it was beautiful._

Him and Brandi, however, didn't disagree on much. They found so many things in common with one another. The former swimsuit model was very strict when it came to her diet. She was very into fitness, the same way Cody was. She loved reading, as did Cody. They enjoyed the same music and the two even shared a small sing-a-long version of their favorite song during their meal. And although they were both typically very shy, the two found comfort in speaking to each other. It was natural and free flowing.

He finally made it back to his room after spending a few hours with Brandi. The sun was making the dark sky turn a bright orange, and Cody knew if he went to sleep now, he wouldn't make it to the gym on time. He decided he would just take a quick shower and maybe a short power nap. But by the time he got out of the shower, Randy was awake and looking through his luggage for some clothes.

"Bro, did you just get in?" Randy asked in disbelief.

Cody rubbed the back of his neck, "yeah.."

"Were you with Jae all night? Shit, dude. It's like six something in the morning." Randy laughed. "She finally came to her senses and found out that she's in love with you? Deep, deep down? And when she made that realization she let you get deep, deep down?" Cody hit his best friend on the back of his hand. "It can happen." Randy shrugged.

"You're stupid, bro. And that's not even who I was with last night." Randy contracted his eyebrows together. Who else would he be with so late?

"Um, Jae actually introduced me to some girl while we were at the club, and well, after I got Jae to her room me and Brandi, that's her name, we went out for a late night meal at that diner around the corner."

Randy smiled, "a late night meal or a _late night meal?_"

"Dude, is everything sexual with you?" Cody laughed. "We literally had a late night meal. We just talked the whole time. She's a cool girl."

"Wait, so Jae introduced you to her?"

"Yeah."

"Why would she do that?" Cody shrugged, not knowing the answer to his question.

"Cody, I don't mean to burst your bubble about any future wedding and family expectations you have with Jae, but if she's introducing you to other girls, she's most likely trying to get you off of her." Randy said very seriously this time. "I mean, I love y'all together and wished that somethin' would happen.. but if Jae already talked to you about being 'just friends' and she's now making you meet other girls, your future with her isn't looking too good."

The younger man sighed and dropped his head. He knew deep down Randy was right. All the little fairytales he had in his head were slowly becoming just that. Fairtytales. Fantasy. Nothing real. No substance. But there was no way he was going to cut his best friend out of his life. He was just going to accept the fact that they were _just friends. _The words pained him on the inside but that was the truth of their situation. He was going to invite her to the gym like he always did, but keep it platonic. No more hoping for more. Even though she told him she loved him last night, she loved him only as a friend.

"Well, at least she's trying to hook me up with someone better looking than her. You should see this girl, bro!" The two men laughed as Cody told Randy more about the beautiful woman he spent his night with.

Cody was going to make the most out of his dilemma and enjoy the ride.

**A/N: I only got one review last time, but I think I really like this story and I'll keep writing it lol. I wanna know what's going to happen between Jae/Cody/Brandi. I'm still trying to figure out who's going to end up with who. Keep reading and we'll all find out together!**


	7. Chapter 6

"Wait, so how sure of this are you?" Cody asked his older friend as they sat for a post-workout lunch. Him and Jae separated after the gym so she could spend more time with the rest of her "Total Diva's" cast. Cody originally wanted nothing to do with the show, but being friends with the young woman, he had no choice but to make a few appearances. He just ducked off as much as he could without avoiding his best friend.

Randy rolled his eyes. "I thought you were starting to be okay with the idea of it?"

"I am.." Cody defended, "I just, it just doesn't seem right to me."

Cody was hardheaded. He refused to believe Jae set him up. And even though it seemed to be the most reasonable idea, he couldn't understand why Jae wanted to set him up with another girl. Did she really think Cody wasn't capable of finding his own girlfriend? He understood the fact that Jae didn't want a relationship with him but did she really lack confidence in her best friend? They didn't call him "Dashing" for nothing. Cody could have anybody he wanted.. he just wasn't looking.

"Dude, she's a girl. Girls are conniving like that." The older, more experienced man said picking at his salad.

"Randy, just 'cause things didn't work out with you and Sam, it doesn't mean every girl is shady."

Randy shook his head, "this has nothing to do with Sam." He sighed at the sound of his ex-wife's name. "Look, I'm just calling it like I see it. This girl has repeatedly told you that she wants to be 'just friends' with you. I know you think she loves you, but if she doesn't want to be with you. It's simple. She's probably feeling really bad for hurting your feelings. My guess is she's trying to clear her conscience by finding a girl for you. I mean, Jae knows you just as well as I do. She found the girl that looks to be your exact type. Doesn't seem like a coincidence to me."

"You know I really hate it when you're right." Cody groaned.

"It's called wisdom, bro." Randy laughed.

"It's just-" "-no, stop it. Whatever you're thinking about Jae, stop it."

Cody laughed, "no, just listen to me. It just, I don't know. It lacks sense to me. You know what she said to me last night?"

"What?" Randy entertained.

"She said she loved me last night."

"While she was drunk?"

"Yeah."

"Man, Cody. You had to fall for this one, huh?"

"You're telling me.." Cody said shaking his head. "I just don't get why she's being so difficult."

"Like I said."

Cody looked at him with a raised brow.

"She's a girl. Girl's are difficult. That's all it is."

"Well, whatever's going on in her head, it needs to stop. She needs to be upfront about her feelings."

While the boys were having their lunch, Jae decided to spend an afternoon with Nikki and Brie. Two girls she never expected to be friends with. Of course their relationship began very rocky, they only spoke to each other because they worked with the same company. Next, Nikki was very protective over her boyfriend, John Cena, and the close relationship John and Jae had, made Nikki very uncomfortable. Brie was obviously going to side with her twin sister on the matter of this debate. However, over the past few months, especially in the beginning of filming Total Diva's, the twins became very open with the younger diva.

They all ordered their meals before the twins could pester Jae about the drunk night she just had.

"I'm trying not to think about it, because I still feel a little hungover, thanks for asking." She said sarcastically.

"Girl, you know I do not care about your hangover. I'm asking if anything _happened_." Nikki said raising her brows up and down. "You know.. with Cody?"

"Oh my god, guys. Can I go a day without being asked about him? We're just friends. I was drunk, he took me to my room, made sure I got there safe and left. I woke up in my own bed with my own clothes on."

"Ouch. Defensive, much? Brie, you know what that means, right?"

"It means _nothing._" Jae said shaking her head. She knew the twins were just messing with her, but she knew she had to get the jokes to stop soon. "Anyways, remember how I told you guys about my plan? Well, I got it started last night." She said with a huge smile on her face.

"Really?" The two said with wide eyes. "Was that before or after he put you to bed?" Nikki asked before Jae shot her a glare.

"It was while we were at the club, I guess. I was way too drunk to remember it, apparently. But Cody told me all about her while we were at the gym. _And_ how he spent _all_ night with her last night. They went out for dinner and it seems like Cody really likes her. Heard they talked about a lot of things."

"Who is she? Is she pretty?"

"I think you guys might know her. Brandi Reed? Part of WWE's developmental team? She's really pretty. Exactly Cody's type."

"Oh yeah, is she like a swimsuit model or something? I've never met her. She really is gorgeous, though." Nikki said eating her food.

"Ah c'mon Nikki. Don't encourage it." Brie said putting down her fork. "You can't tell me you're not the least bit jealous, Jae. I mean, you're hooking your best friend, someone I know you love, with somebody else. Like, I just don't get where this makes sense."

"Brie, I need somebody to keep his mind off me. I feel so bad for what I did to him. You know, I basically put him in the friend zone. That's such a bruise to someone's ego. LIke, I can't deal with this guilt. He just needs somebody else in his life."

"Yeah, obviously. That's you!"

"It's not me. Look, if he ends up really liking and falling for this girl, what's the big deal? I did two people a favor, right?"

"I guess.. but you're selling yourself short. You're not getting what you deserve."

"Cody? He's a great guy.. but, he's been my friend for a reason. That's all we're ever gonna be.."

Jae almost forgot that cameras were filming her conversation the whole time. She groaned and mentally kicked herself on her backside. She knew Cody was going to see this episode when it aired in a few months, but she'd deal with that later. Maybe he'd be so busy with the WWE that he'd miss a few episodes. But of course that wouldn't work. Somebody would eventually tell him about it. Or maybe he'd be so in love with Brandi that he wouldn't care anymore. But Jae knew that wouldn't happen. Who would want to hear about their best friend plotting against them? And be happy about it?

She sighed and decided she'd deal with it later when the time was right.

Raw approached sooner than anyone thought. After the night at the club the weeks sped through so quickly. They had a bunch of press conferences, photo shoots and interviews they all had to do on their own time. For the first time in months, Jae enjoyed time away from Cody. Total Diva's was going to take off in a few weeks so all the diva's were preparing for it's premiere.

While Jae was busy in front of the camera, Cody put all his free time into the gym. The WWE promised Cody that his character was going to skyrocket in a matter of time. He just had to be patient. The WWE had been promising him these kind of things when he first started. But Cody was stuck in mid-card matches with mediocre promo ratings. He had been patient long enough. He was itching to see some gold. And not tag team title gold. Real gold. He wanted to play with the big dogs like John Cena and Randy Orton. He'd watch too many people get chances before him and he was tired of it. But he remained level headed. Too many people shot to fame too quick and burned out. Cody was going to make his moment last forever when it came.

He ran up and down a flight of stairs at the arena, when he caught a glimpse of a beautiful brunette. Seeing her made him realize he needed to give his body a break for tonight. He had worked so hard this week, it was good to breathe. It wasn't Jae, but he had to talk to the woman about something. He jogged down the stairs and made his way towards her.

"I need to talk to you." He said stopping her in the middle of her stride.

"Oh, hello Cody. Nice seeing you. I'm fine, thanks for asking." She said sarcastically.

"Brie, hi. You look wonderful today. Good luck in your match tonight against AJ."

She pursed her lips together and nodded, "that's more like it. Now what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Jae."

"Bingo."

"Who is Brandi? And why did Jae want me to meet her?"

She furrowed her brows together and fought with herself. Did she keep her best friend's secret from him? Or did she rat out her best friend so she could help Cody with his feelings?

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

He laughed. "You, Nikki and Jae are like WWE's resident mean girls. You guys talk about everything and every body. Now, who is she?"

Brie laughed a long with him knowing his statement held some truth to it.

"Look, Cody. Your business with Jae is your business with Jae. Whatever it is that's going on with her is between the two of you."

"Brie, c'mon. Don't make me beg the answer out of you. I just need to know what's going on. I can't stand this game she's playing."

She groaned and rolled her eyes. Jae and Cody were both her very good friends. And more than anything she wanted the two of them to be together. What Jae was doing to him was very unfair. No matter how much Jae thought it was helping him. She knew Jae would never tell Cody the truth. And no one else would either. Brie sighed and cursed herself.

"Okay. If I tell you, you are not making any further decisions without consulting me first. You're not going to go up to her, cuss her out and cut her out of your life. You're not going to go around and tell all the guys, either. You are talking to me first. Do you understand?" Cody chuckled at the brunette in front of him, watching her frustration and knowing he was finally going to get the truth out of somebody.

"Jae wanted you to meet Brandi, so you could move on."

"Randy was right.."

"I'm sorry, Cody. She's just doing it because she feels bad.."

"Well, if she wants to play it that way.. I have this plan.."

Brie pursed her lips together, eyeing the young man in front of her. She cursed herself one more time wishing she didn't get herself involved.

**A/N: Thank you to AngelsDestiny22 and thejoker122 for their reviews! Really appreciate it! Please continue to review/follow/fave!**


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